I love the support I’ve received from Mr. Sanderson and others on the topic of not banning gas golf carts, but why I hopefully write for the last time on the topic is again about bicycles on our main roads. I just want to clear up some misrepresentations in the last “Citizen.”
I have no personal dislike for road cyclists. I am a cyclist that rides on our city roads. Of the 15 to 20 miles I log on a bike ride, several of those are on city streets.
But these streets are inside of subdivisions with speed limits of 25 miles an hour or under, where I am a minimal hazard and can keep up with any and all traffic. There are several subdivisions that have mile-long circuits or longer inside them. I also ride while the kids are in school so they are not an issue.
While on the paths, if I encounter slower traffic, the paths are wide enough to pass others most of the time, and if the people don’t hear me approaching from behind (great argument for noisy gas carts by the way) I slow down to walking speed if needed to get around them.
The city offers such a complex path system, you never have to be behind anyone for long. I can zip through a neighborhood or take a different fork to get around anyone. I’ve ridden the paths for over 30 years, and others on the paths have never kept me from a great workout. Not one time.
Regardless of whether or not it is the law of the land, I do not ride down the Parkway, Crosstown Road, Ga. Highway 54 or 74, or any other road with a speed limit over 35 miles an hour. I would just be causing a hazard for myself, but more important to this argument, to others. Simply for an activity I enjoy.
Just because something is legal doesn’t make it a smart thing to do. I do admire the lack of fear of the road cyclist. I just wouldn’t feel safe riding on the side of rode while teens on cell phones are passing me me from behind.
Mr. Sanderson claims my argument indicates that I should want cars to be illegal because some people speed in them. That is a spurious assessment. My argument actually indicates that if we are to ticket the speeding drivers for going too fast, we should ticket the cyclist for going too slow.
I make the distinction of the major roads as compared to roads inside subdivisions. Kids riding in front of their house are not the issue.
And I appreciate Mr. Sanderson making my point for me why the city should (and can) require bicyclists to use the paths where bicycle paths are provided. I’ve read Georgia law as well. He verifies my claim that cyclists from all over are coming here just to ride on our roads, and that people are thinking about moving here because of our lax cycling laws.
[That’s] more a reason to shore up the road laws sooner than later. I want people moving here because of the schools, low crime rate, and our extensive path system, not because we have great roads to exercise on.And Mr. Sanderson, my heartfelt apology if I offended you about your cycling uniform. None was intended.
Daniel Allen
Peachtree City, Ga.
